CHICO — A law prohibiting price gouging in the wake of the Camp Fire was approved unanimously by the Chico City Council Friday morning.

The vote extends out to six months provisions of an existing state law that bans gouging the 30 days after an emergency has been declared.

Generally the law prohibits any price increase of more than 10 percent over the price before the emergency was declared. It covers everything from rental housing, to hotel and motel room rates, to the prices of goods and services, including construction. It prohibits eviction of tenants in order to increase rents.

There are provisions allowing a larger increase, if it can be proved to be attributed to an increase in the cost of labor and materials, or increased charges from suppliers.

The law was an emergency ordinance that goes into effect immediately.

Penalties are determined by the Penal Code, according to City Manager Mark Orme. He said the police could charge incidents in different ways. A first violation might result in a warning, and nothing more if the problem is remedied, Orme said.

The North Valley Property Owners Association — a group of 600 landlords — supported the ordinance. However it had concerns the ordinance didn’t address new properties coming onto the market, or existing units that were being reconfigured.

The group asked to be part of the discussions concerning the housing crisis resulting from the destruction of nearly 10,000 residences by the Camp Fire.

“Our resources and knowledge are second to none,” said Randy Coy.

The Butte County District Attorney’s Office has a phone number to which suspected price gouging can be reported: 1-866-DAFRAUD, or 1-866-323-7283.

Steve Schoonover is a reporter for the Enterprise-Record and Oroville Mercury-Register. A resident of Chico since 1963 and a 1975 graduate of Chico State University, he has been with the E-R since 1980.